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Here's How Gummy Candy Is Made

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Gummy bears are on the long list of unexpected items vegans and vegetarians must avoid if they want to truly maintain a meat-free diet. That's because one of the main ingredients in gummy candies is gelatin, a food product derived from animal skin and bone.

In the abstract, the source of gelatin may not prevent you from diving into a bag of gummy worms, but a new video produced by Belgian filmmaker Alina Kneepkens might just have you searching for a new sugary treat.

Kneepkens' short documentary viscerally depicts the gummy creation process in reverse, starting with the consumption of the candy, and ending with a pen filled with unsuspecting hogs. There's no shortage of gore along the way.

Here you see how gummy makers obtain one of gelatin's main ingredients.

The video also shows the hog has being scalded to remove hair.

The FDA declares that "there is no documented evidence of a deleterious nature to humans from the ingestion of gelatin, other than a rare allergenic response." So if you were unaware about the origin of gummies, and aren't put off by how it's made, feel free to gum away.

However, if the whole process has you feeling a little squeamish, never fear; there are gelatin-free gummy options. Check out this Youtube tutorial on how to make your own vegan gummy candy.

This isn't the first time Kneepkens has dived into the processes that produce our food. She is also known for having created a video on blood pudding and a video on rabbit with plums.